Photographer's Note

When you search about Wawona Hotel in the Yosemite site, you read:
"An ideal camp location due to its verdant meadows, nearby river, surrounding pine and oak trees and abundant game, Wawona was called Pallahchun (meaning a good place to stop) by early tribes - the first people to inhabit the area - because it was a logical midway site between the foothills and Yosemite Valley.
In 1855, Galen Clark, a miner whose health had suffered in the Gold Camps, passed through the Wawona Valley area with a party of tourists bound for Yosemite. Entranced by the beauty of the place, Clark returned in 1856 and built a crude 12-by-16 foot log cabin near a spring on the west end of the meadow. The main trail into Yosemite Valley ran near his place, making it inevitable that travelers would stop along the way. On their return trip, said Clark, they would be out of provisions and, as I always had a good supply of fresh venison and trout, they would call on me for meals. That was the beginning of Clarks Station, later called Big Tree Station and the predecessor of the Wawona Hotel, though the present-day hotel is located on the far side of the meadow where Clark moved his inn before 1860.

Clarks personality added to the popularity of the Wawona area, and he became famous for his hospitality and knowledge of the mountains. Unfortunately, he was also known to be a poor businessman and soon encountered financial difficulties. Clark took a partner in 1870 to share the financial burden, but the business continued to fail and in 1875 the collection of buildings, sawmill, blacksmith shop and water ditch passed into the hands of Washburn, Coffman and Chapman.

In 1878, a kitchen fire destroyed all of the old buildings at Clarks Station and the entire establishment was rebuilt and opened the following year. The only buildings to survive the fire of 1878 were the stable and Long White (now named Clark Cottage in honor of Galen Clark), which was opened in 1876.

The necessity to rebuild provided Washburn - who took over the management of the hotel after Washburn, Coffman and Chapman dissolved - and his new partner, Johnny Bruce, the opportunity to construct more substantial and modern hotel facilities. Within a week of the fire, they hired Joseph Shelly, builder of the Long White, and staked out a large two-story building that would include a lobby, sitting room, dining room, office and 25 guest rooms. Although accounts vary, it is believed the new hotel was ready and open for business in the summer of 1879.

Later that year, Big Tree Station welcomed distinguished guest, Ulysses S. Grant. Grant traveled 12 hours from Madera to Wawona by stage, where the Mariposa Brass Band greeted him with Hail To The Chief. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, so much road dust covered the General that he looked as if he had been engaged in the most hotly contested battle of the wilderness.

In 1882, Washburns wife suggested the Indian word, Wah-wo-nah - meaning Big Tree - as a more fitting name for the hotel complex than Big Tree Station. By Sept. 10, 1882, her name was official for the hotel and post-office, though it took a few years before local residents and guests acknowledged the change.

By 1883, Wawona had outgrown its reputation as a pioneer stage stop and primitive inn to become a self-sustaining mountain resort of importance and appeal. Two years earlier, Washburn and Bruce had paid to enlarge a natural cavity carved into a giant Sequoia tree that blocked a new road they were building. The Wawona Tunnel Tree, with its 8-foot-wide and 26-foot-long opening quickly became a tourist attraction, and visitors to the area often stayed at Washburns neighboring hotel. In addition to the tunnel tree, a general store, blacksmith shop, wagon shop and saloon kept visitors occupied.

Wawona Hotel hosted several prominent guests during its early history. Distinguished visitors included President Theodore Roosevelt, John Ruskin, Lily Langtry, Bernard Baruch, Diamond Jim Brady, William Jennings Bryan, William Harrison and many others.

Wawona continued under the direction of the Washburn family until 1932, when the Wawona Valley area was added to Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Park & Curry Co. took over the operation of the hotel.

Today, Wawona Hotel is operated by DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite and remains one of the most respected mountain resorts. With its historic white wooden buildings, verandas overlooking sprawling green lawns and Victorian interiors, the hotel is the perfect setting for a relaxing vacation. The National Historic Landmark and Historic Hotel of America features 104 guest rooms, including 54 rooms with access to shared bathrooms. Guestrooms without private bath are often compared to a European-style hotel room, with restroom and shower facilities conveniently located in each building.

Wawonas charming Victorian-style guestrooms are furnished with a mix of authentic and reproduction period furniture, upscale country décor, overstuffed chairs, and marble-topped dressers. A $400,000 guest-room renovation was completed in March 2002, in which forty-eight rooms received new wall coverings, window treatments, carpeting, furniture, bedding, lighting and bathroom fixtures reflecting the historic hotels mid-19th century character and style.

Hallo Zeca!
This is a really most atmospheric photo. The very special light you caught here creates a somehow nearly solemn impression. One can feel that this must be a wonderful and near to nature place, a place to feel good, to recreate.
Greetings from already summerly Germany - and have a good week!
Frank

Hello Jose,
A striking early morning capture, or is it, I'm now trying to work out where the light source is coming from. I like the mist in the air and the hot light on the front of the building.
Lovely shot, full of atmosphere.
Ok, where's the light coming from????
Regards
Peter

I like how that warm light is coming in from the right, a hard touch on the edge, but going very smooth to the center and the house just gets the first rays of it.
On top of that hard blue in the sky, great contrast. Good to get out that early, really pays off when doing that....wonderful atmosphere.

Hi, Jose. There is a very nice morning mood in your picture. The first sun rays hitting the right part of the image create a very special light. The hotel is shown in its natural environment and also gets a gentle touch of the first sun rays. The contrast with the blue sky works very well.
Have a nice day,
Philippe

Ola Jose,
First, I like to thank you for the beautiful and informative notes regarding this great place with it's history, very interesting!
What a awesome image that well captured with best displayed of lighting and with great atmosphere!
I loved this shot a lot with thanks
my warmest regards
Tony

Hola Zeca.
Your photo shows a heavenly place to relax and unwind, the light that you get with the first rays of the sun is wonderful and has created a feeling of being united with the nature that surrounds this beautiful place.
Very well capture, excellent shot.
TFS.
Best regards.

Jose, excellent capture, these mists / fog / clouds that only hang in certain areas can be so awkward to record and not lose the context of the scene, and you have done it perfectly. Having been to Yosemite I understand how awesome the place is and how on the edge of another reality it exists, great work.

Hi Jose,
I would love to spend a weekend in this hotel. Seems so cozy and charming. Beautiful photo! There is an overwhelming sense of solitude and nostalgia observing this photo.

I am really not so crazy with this new version either, but nothing lasts forever in this world and we just have to simply deal with it!

If there is one thing that I’ve learned in life (so far) is to adapt to change. Change is the only thing in life you can expect to remain constant.
I personally feel sad that some of my favorites decided to leave the community as soon as the new site launched , but there is nothing I can do about it. I hope your friends that decided to leave keep in touch with you as you noted in your profile. I have my “contact me” at all times as well in case they want to stay in touch.

Oh! Thanks for adding me on your fav’s by the way. I feel honored coming from you since you are one of the best here! ;)